Rope man used to commit suicide returned to his widow by police...

[Strange Famous]

Quite an amazing story I saw on the bbc website today. How the people responsible can be allowed to keep their jobs is beyond me. This is stunningly insensitive and the woman should be entitled to compensation.

Police apology over suicide rope

Police have apologised to a widow for giving her the rope her husband had used to kill himself.

Angie Gerelli, 52, who was separated from her husband, was given the rope when officers returned his possessions.

Computer trainee John Gilmore, 50, was found dead in a park near his home in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, in November.

Ch Insp Jay Dave of South Wales Police said: "This was a very unfortunate incident and I would like to apologise for any distress caused as a result."

He said the officers concerned would be "spoken to" and steps would be taken to ensure it never happened again.

Mr Gilmore's possessions were returned to his wife, who lives in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, because she was his next of kin.

Police had given Ms Gerelli three bags containing her husband's laptop, wallet and briefcase, but when she looked in the bags she noticed the rope.

“ I am appalled - it was the most insensitive thing to do ”
Angie Gerelli
"I saw a yellow colour and realised what I had in my hand. I went to pieces and I just sunk to the floor," she said.

"I dropped the rope and put my hands to my face."

Despite being separated for four years, the couple were still close.

"I am appalled - it was the most insensitive thing to do. I asked the officer if a gun would be given to the widow of a man who shot himself," she said.

"He said they wouldn't because a gun is an illegal weapon - but as far as I'm concerned this rope was just like an illegal weapon."

Officers later telephoned Ms Gerelli to apologise for their insensitivity.

An inquest earlier this month determined that computer student Mr Gilmore from had taken his own life in Porthkerry country park where he was discovered on the afternoon of 2 November by a dog walker.


Story from BBC NEWS:
BBC NEWS | Wales | South East Wales | Police apology over suicide rope

[shesus]

That's quite fucked up. At least the gun she could have pawn.
I can't even imagine what that woman went through in those few moments of realization that she was holding the suicide weapon of choice.

[ngdawg]

WTF were they thinking?
Or maybe they weren't. There's a lot of that going around in police circles.....

[Craven Morehead]

Originally Posted by ngdawg

WTF were they thinking?

They weren't.

Unfortunately.

[Punk.of.Ages]

I don't really think this is that big of a deal...

I mean, I can understand the woman's distress, but it was just a simple, though unfortunate, mistake the police in question made.

Just seems a little blown out of proportion to me.

[Bear Cub]

Let it be a reminder to all women of what they drive men to do.

[shesus]

Originally Posted by Bear Cub

Let it be a reminder to all women of what they drive men to do.

Then gay men must be much happier chaps.

[FuglyStick]

........


tasteless and tactless, but...meh

[Xerxys]

This is fucked .... seriously. These are mistakes you don't make!!

[mixedmedia]

Originally Posted by Punk.of.Ages

I don't really think this is that big of a deal...

I mean, I can understand the woman's distress, but it was just a simple, though unfortunate, mistake the police in question made.

Just seems a little blown out of proportion to me.

I shall attach my sensibilities to this post.

Yes, it was an unfortunate mistake, but in the grand scheme of things, just a mistake. mehblage.

[God of Thunder]

I think it's a tragic mistake, but let's not be so quick to blame the police for their insensitivity. The mistake may not be as simple as you think.

The detective that investigated the suicide is not the same person who processed the evidence. A victim's personal belongings are generally processed by a records clerk. Most of the time this person is a civilian. As the story said, a weapon would not have been returned, but the rope was probably not labeled as a weapon by the clerk.

When the decision was made to release the man's personal belongings, the person who packaged them and delivered them more than likely had no connection to the investigation.

This was a mistake caused by a breakdown in communication. The records clerk saw a rope as a personal belonging and not a weapon and was probably unaware that it was used in a suicide.